PSLE : Bullies

“Why did you defy me? Henry, the big and burly thirteen-year-old roared at Roan, the timid ten year old.  Roan trembled and shivered. Henry pulled Roan up by his shirt and flung him like he were a feather towards the wall. “Bang!” Roan hit the wall and lay sprawled on the floor. Bruised, he then made a hasty retreat and ran off.

I stared in horror at such wicked meanness. Being new to the school, I was also a small and short boy. Henry was infamous for bullying.  I heard he was eyeing to make me his next victim. I decided to put a stop to it.

The next day, as I walked along the quiet corridor leading to the staff room, I had a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that someone was tailing me.   I tried to keep wild thoughts at bay and I quickened my pace and walked briskly to the staff room. Still, the feeling of being stalked kept bugging me. I turned around just to be sure.  All I saw was a long row of doors along the grey corridor. I quickened my footsteps as I made my way to the staff room. 

As I stepped into the staff room, the air conditioner blasted me with cold air. It was freezing rather than cooling.  A strong wave of coffee invaded my nostrils as I stared at the teachers marking tirelessly at a long table. I walked past the maze of tables trying to find my discipline mistress. I found her typing on her computer keyboard. 

“Err…Miss …Miss Lim,” I muttered out. Miss Lim peeled her eyes off her computer and looked at me, I straightened my posture and told her about the incident about Henry bullying the kids.

“Thank you, Jerome.  This matter will be looked into immediately,”  Miss Lim assured me. I thanked my teacher and walked out of the staff room, not knowing that my conversation had been overheard crisp and clear.

As I made my way carrying my stone-heavy bag, I trudged my way under the scorching sun. As the weather was so hot, I decided to take the shortcut home. As I walked along the deserted alley leading to my lovely home, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.

My gosh!  It was not only Henry but his infamous sidekicks, Brad and Loki, as well.   My heart was pounding fast. Brad walked up to me like greased lightning and tripped me over. I was then hauled up and slammed onto a wall. Henry stomped up to me.

“What did you just do?” Henry snarled.

“What did you do?” Henry shouted, scaring me out of my wits.  

“I…I did not do anything” I spluttered.

“You did not do anything…As if!” Brad shouted, “I overheard everything!”

Cold sweat broke out on my forehead.  Realisation dawned on me that they knew everything. What should I do?  My mind raced for a solution. I was jolted from my train of thoughts when Loki suddenly pushed me to the floor, raising his hand to punch me, but Henry stopped him.

I looked up in hope. Was he going to forgive me? 

He hesitated for a moment and asked Brad to back away with a smirk on his face. He reached out a hand to help me up and I grabbed it. Out of the blue, his free hand raised up and punched me squarely on my nose. I winced in pain and as I tumbled to the floor again in agony. They took my bag and found my brand new Adidas watch.

“No…” I screamed as I stood up, and lunged for the watch.

Henry could not care less. He took the watch and threw it to the floor, stomping on it which smashed it into pieces. Indignant anger engulfed me as I delivered him a punch to his stomach but it left nothing except a tiny bruise. Loki and Brad laughed and jumped on me, hitting and punching me as if I were their punching bag. I laid on the floor, waiting in eternity for this nightmare to be over.

Suddenly, thundering footsteps stomped towards us. The bullies looked up in horror.  It was Miss Lim. How did she know where I was? It did not matter anymore. Justice would be meted out swiftly and the bullies would get their just desserts.